Renal Patients’ Holiday Trip

Thanks to kind donations, a group of dialysis patients were given the chance to enjoy a holiday with no interruption to their treatment. Staff and volunteers at Cromer Hospital’s dialysis unit organised a five-day trip to Bournemouth, for patients who attend sessions at their unit.
Dialysis treatment involves three visits to hospital a week for four hours at a time, limiting where a patient can travel to and how long for.

During the break, it was arranged that there was a dialysis session at the privately run KC Dialysis Centre which specifically provides facilities for patients who wish to visit the seaside town of Bournemouth and the surrounding area for a holiday.

Janet Dickenson, senior sister at Cromer Hospital dialysis unit, said: “Dialysis patients find holidays very difficult to have as there are very few places which can provide holiday dialysis. We wanted to be able to help our patients live a very full life and the patients get a lot of pleasure from the short break. ”

Patient Mr John Thurtle said: “The change of scenery and company of the caring nurses made the holiday a wonderful experience which would be impossible for me otherwise”

The Norfolk Renal Fund charity have kindly paid the costs of a specially adapted coach which means wheelchair access is available for those with limited mobility. Boat trips were planned, using an adapted boat for disabled access, thanks to The Rotary club in Poole, and a visit to Monkey world was also scheduled.

Cromer renal patients